The Courageous Odyssey
by bigbangenthusiast
Summary: Sheldon and Amy get lost in rural New Mexico. How does Sheldon react when his wife is too tired to drive?


**A/N: It's that time again, the anniversary of Shamy's first meeting in the coffee shop on May 24. Here is my contribution to the Shamy tumblr community's annual Fluff Crawlspace event. I recommend checking out the tags #fluff crawlspace and #Shamy anniversary to see all the fics, gifs, drawings, and other creations. Happy Shamyversary!**

Amy struggled to keep her eyes open while they drove down the deserted country road in the rental car. How many miles had they gone without passing another car or seeing any sign of life?

The day had been going so well. She and Sheldon had spent the afternoon attending an informative lecture at the University of New Mexico's physics department, then enjoyed a nice dinner. When their waitress learned they were from out of town, she suggested they drive to see a herd of antelope she had noticed on her way in to work. Sheldon had been reluctant, but Amy persuaded him they should check it out.

She followed the woman's directions but didn't see the creatures, so she drove around the area. When she finally admitted defeat, Sheldon searched his messenger bag for the GPS. He pulled it out and pressed the power button.

"It won't turn on!" He panicked. "I just charged it this morning. How did this happen?"

"Time to start looking for a new model. In the meantime you can plug this one into the lighter."

Sheldon rifled through his bag, methodically pulling out each item and setting them on his lap. He patted down the fabric. "The adaptor's not here! I know I added it to my bag before we left the hotel this morning." He felt under the seat but came up empty handed.

"Maybe it fell out when you searched for the pen to get that professor's autograph. Try your phone's GPS."

Sheldon slid the screen open then groaned. "No service. Oh dear, Lord! We're going to die out here!"

"We're not going to die. I'll just trace our path back."

Amy pulled over to the side of the road then turned the car around. She drove past four intersections then pulled over again. "Wait, was it only three intersections?"

"I don't know. I was too busy thinking about what Professor Albrecht said about quantum mechanics to pay attention to our surroundings."

"It's okay. We'll find our way back," she reassured him.

Amy continued driving, occasionally turning onto yet another gravel road. She strained her eyes against the darkening sky to try finding some familiarity in the landscape, but every grove of trees looked the same. She slowed the car to a crawl hoping to find something, anything, that would set them on the right path.

"Still no cell service," Sheldon whined.

She glanced over at her panic-stricken husband and wished she had listened to him and just gone back to the hotel after dinner, but she put on a brave face for him. The full moon was barely visible through the cloud cover, and the stars were completely covered. There went her idea of finding the big dipper to guide them back to civilization.

They drove several more miles as the dashboard clock silently ticked away the minutes. She tried not to let her frustration show, but the events of the day were taking their toll on her body. She pulled over and placed the car in park. "I don't think it's a good idea for me to drive anymore right now. I can barely keep my eyes open."

"We can't just stop here in the middle of nowhere." He double checked his door to ensure it was locked and peered out into the wilderness.

"I need you to drive."

"Me?!" He asked incredulously. "Amy, you know I don't drive."

"You have your license."

"Yes, but I only got it to add to my list of accomplishments. I never intended to actually use it. There was that one time with Wolowitz, but after that I swore never again."

"Sheldon, I'm so exhausted. If I continue driving, I'm afraid I'll fall asleep and drive off the road, or worse."

"I haven't driven in seven months. Are you sure you want to put your trust in me?"

"Sheldon, you excel at everything you do. I trust you completely."

He weighed his options. He could allow Amy to continue driving, and they could possibly end up dead; they could give up for the night and sleep in the car by the side of road in the middle of nowhere; or he could set his fears aside by taking the wheel and attempting to find their way back.

"Fine. I'll drive."

She sighed in relief. "Thank you. I know you'll do great."

After switching places, Sheldon took his time adjusting the mirrors and his seat. He placed his hands at the ten and two positions and took a deep breath. "I can do this," he murmured.

As the car lurched forward slowly down the darkened road, Amy fought to stay awake, but her eyelids were so heavy. "You're doing great," she murmured before succumbing to sleep.

Her soft snores prompted him to glance over at her, but he quickly turned his gaze back on the road. He needed to stay focused. If only he had paid attention to their route when they turned onto the first gravel road. He was certain he would have been able to navigate her to the highway. From there the signs could have guided them back to the city.

Thirty minutes later there were still no signs of life, and drowsiness was overtaking him. He slowed to a crawl, scanning the sides of the road for a good place to park, somewhere off-road so another car wouldn't hit them because he knew leaving the head and taillights on all night would drain the battery. Amy carried hazard signs and flares in her trunk, but he knew the rental had none.

Finally he came across what must have at one time been a driveway of some sort. After pulling in and turning off the ignition, he breathed a sigh of relief. They had survived the drive, but they were no better off than they had been a hour ago. If anything, they were probably even further from civilization.

Amy had slumped to the side, face against the window, her glasses askew. Sheldon unbuckled her seatbelt to provide a little more comfort, kissed her cheek, then settled back in the driver's seat. He closed his eyes, but though he was exhausted, sleep wouldn't come. Now that the engine was off, he realized there were signs of life, just not human life. Coyotes howled in the distance, and owls hooted overhead. Sheldon shuddered as he remembered the camping trip he took with his family nearly 30 years ago. He had hoped to never go through that experience again.

His hand flew to his heart, and he emitted a strangled sound when an unidentified screech pierced the night air. When Amy stirred in her seat, Sheldon expected her to open her eyes, but she continued to sleep.

He tried stretching his long legs in the cramped space and silently grumbled at the pedals in his way. He would never get any rest like this. The backseat beckoned, but he was reluctant. To get there he would either need to climb over the seat or go out into the dark unknown.

He looked over at his wife again. He already missed the feel of her back against his chest, of his arm around her waist, and blamed the constraints of the confounded bucketseats. If he could overcome his fear of the wilderness, they could try sleeping in the back. He cocked his ear to the door. The coyotes weren't getting any nearer, and the odd sound was gone. Now was his chance.

He rushed to the back passenger side door in the cool night air and flung the door open. His gaze darted around. No wild animals in sight. The next part would be trickier, as Amy was asleep. He was hesitant to wake her, but aside from his need to be near her, he was also concerned that the bend in her neck would cause her a great deal of discomfort in the morning. He hated to think of his beautiful wife in pain. This was as much for her sake as for his.

He gently reached one arm around her back, while the other slid under her knees, and lifted her up, just like he had two weeks earlier on their wedding night.

She blinked and regarded her surroundings through hooded eyes. "Sheldon? What happened? Where are we? This doesn't look like the hotel." She mumbled.

Sheldon placed her gently on the seat, climbed in next to her, and shut the door. "I couldn't find the way back, and I was getting tired. I'm sorry."

She caressed his face and kissed him soundly. "We'll find our way back in the morning. Right now, we'll get some rest."

They adjusted themselves on the seat. Sheldon wrapped his arm wrapped tightly around her to keep her from rolling onto the floor. His nose nuzzled her neck and they both sighed contentedly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what?"

"For getting us into this mess."

"Well, it's not an ideal situation; in fact, it's frightening, but I'm here with you, and you have a calming effect on me." A coyote howled, and Sheldon tightened his grip on his wife's waist.

"Sheldon, I can't breathe."

He loosened his grip slightly. "Sorry. I was just trying to protect you," he told her, though he knew Amy was a strong, independant woman who didn't need protection.

"I know. Thank you," she murmured as she snuggled closer.

The fact that she didn't laugh at his fears was one of the many reasons he loved her. Even being stuck in a car in the middle of nowhere was more appealing with her by his side. He closed his eyes and silently thanked a dirty sock for bringing Amy Farrah Fowler-Cooper into his life.


End file.
